An opportunity to learn more about some of the critical standards underpinning next-generation networks is being offered by Light Reading on this coming Monday, January 23 -- at 11:30 a.m. New York time, 4:30 p.m. London time, 5:30 p.m. Central European Time -- in the form of a free SuperWebinar developed in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union, Standardization Sector (ITU-T) .

In the SuperWebinar, three of the key participants in the ITU-T's Focus Group on Next-Generation Networks will drill down on the key aspects of the first release of ITU NGN standards issued last November. They will explain the objectives, review the results of their work, and explain how the standards will benefit service developments.

The standards promise to be a first step towards opening hardware and software markets to greater competition, driving down costs, encouraging innovation, and laying the foundation for the next phase of convergence in telecom.

One speaker in the Webinar will be Keith Dickerson, head of standards for BT Group plc (NYSE: BT; London: BTA), who called for formation of the Focus Group in the first place. Other speakers include Marco Carugi of Nortel Networks Ltd. , leader of the ITU's Service Requirements Working Group, and Monique Morrow of Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO), another Focus Group participant.

To register for the SuperWebinar on the ITU's NGN standards, please click on this link.

This is the first time that Light Reading has worked with a standards body to help elucidate important developments to the telecom industry at large, using the Webinar format. A similar event is planned to explain related NGN developments at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) .

— The Staff, Light Reading